Part of a Whole
by Seruphim
Summary: Nick doesn't do that Couple Stuff but maybe Jess can convince him it isn't all that bad.


"Isn't it adorable?" A metal chain was pulled taut between Jessica's fingers. From it dangled half of a heart, torn in a way that it could fit to another of its kind. Specifically, the one that already rested around her own neck.

"That's kind of morbid, actually," Nick remarked as he leaned away. "What are you gonna do with half of a heart?"

"The question is, what are you going to do with half of a heart? Yeah?" Jessica nodded and pushed it towards him but he retracted his hands.

"Look, Jess, I told you I'm not gonna do weird couply stuff. If I give you this then we're going to be wearing matching sweaters and painting each other's nails and we can't do that. Look at these cuticles." He held up his nails, which were surely in no state to be painted.

A quick frown crossed her face, but there were few things that fazed Jess. "I'm not going to paint them. Not while you're awake."

"What?" His brow furrowed.

"C'mon, just wear it!" Jessica pushed the necklace towards him again but he shook his head and retreated across the couch. She pursed her lips and pouted, sure that this tactic would work, and when Nick was still shaking his head she went in for a full assault.

The two struggled for a good few minutes, a tangle of hair and limbs as they worked their way across the flat with disgruntled noises. Her glasses went askew across her face, but that was hardly the most pressing issue at the moment. Against all odds — perhaps a testament to her determination — Jessica pinned her pessimistic boyfriend to a chair and snapped the chain around his neck.

"GOAAAAAAAAL," she screamed and pulled away, pumping her fists in the air.

Nick stood with a disgruntled noise, inspecting the morbid half charm now around his neck with pursed lips. "Is this really necessary?"

"Yes!" She whirled around and tapped his charm. "It's," and her voice lifted into song, "necessssaaarrryyyy to meeeeee! Can't you seeeeee?"

"Ok, ok," he held up his hands. "I'll wear it."

Nick's acceptance earned him a kiss on the cheek. However, the next day the charm was no longer around his neck. Jessica discovered as much the next day when she pushed her way into the flat with a large box and spotted her boyfriend lazing on the couch charm-less. She tried to act as casual as possible about the whole thing, but such things had never been her forte.

After a moment of intense staring, and Nick avoiding her gaze, Jessica cleared her throat. "Where's uh… " she gestured around her neck, "Y'know."

Nick's hand felt around his neck innocently, patting it down as if he wasn't sure what he was looking for, before recognition lit his face.

"Oh! Huh… Guess I lost it."

"Ah…"

An awkward silence fell over the two. Nick shifted in his seat and tried to focus on the TV. Jessica pursed her lips and looked around the apartment. Nick opened his mouth, seemingly to say something, but an intake of breath was all that was heard before he snapped it shut again.

Jessica looked as if she was finally about to say something but the door burst open and their roommates piled through. She quickly picked up her box and retreated to her room.

It wasn't until later that the two were finally alone again. Their friends had just left, gone to help Schmidt with some crazy shenanigan, and Jessica immediately turned to leave.

"Hey, Jess, c'mon," Nick started, reaching for her but she jerked away. When she didn't give a response, he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"What's _wrong_?" Her tone indicated it was exactly the question he should not have asked. "Nothing. At all. Why would you ask that?"

"Uhh, because you're avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you. I have important things to do. Elsewhere. In my room." She leaned close, staring him down, daring him to challenge her.

So, of course he had to challenge her.

"Yeah? Well so do I. Super important."

"Not more important than what I have."

The two started to head towards their respective rooms, arms pressed against each other in a childishly competitive way.

"Oh, believe me, it is. WAY more important even. You have no idea."

"Yeah? Well, go do your SUPER important things."

Each stood in front of their door with their arms crossed, waiting for the other to give and go into their room.

"I will!" Nick hesitated for a moment before he turned, smacked into his door, and then finally pushed it open.

"I meant to do that," he insisted before he disappeared inside and slammed the door shut.

His scuffle with the door jolted something from his pocket and Jessica caught sight of it just before she had planned to make her own dramatic exit. Quietly, she walked over and picked it up. It was the other half of their charm.

The door suddenly opened and Nick appeared. His eyes immediately zeroed in on her and he sank back.

"Why didn't you tell me you had it?" Jessica stood slowly, her voice low. The half heart piece rested in her open palm, but she didn't look ready to give it to him again.

A range of emotions pulled across Nick's face as he tried to think of the right answer before he finally sighed, his frame deflating.

"I just… I told you I wasn't…" his hand scratched at his neck, "couply."

Jessica nodded and could feel a lump in her throat. "Yeah."

Just as she turned, his hands reached out to fold over hers.

"I still want it."

Nick meant that for so much more than just the charm, but he knew… he hoped she would understand what he meant. A moment of silence passed between them before she nodded and opened her hand to his.

"I did give it to you."

Nick smiled in relief and took it back, slipping it around his neck. She tilted her head in confusion.

"I thought…"

"Well," he started. "Sometimes a man needs to wear a ripped heart. Shows how manly he is!"

Her only response was to lean forward and connect their two charms to create a whole heart between them. She grinned up at him, about to rub it in his face, but he cut her off with a kiss.


End file.
